Aaron Judge climbs past Bernie, HoF legend envisions him surpassing 600 HRs

Aaron Judge has etched his name further into Yankees history, surpassing Bernie Williams to secure the tenth-highest WAR (Wins Above Replacement) among position players in the franchise’s storied history. This accomplishment also places Aaron Judge fourteenth overall in the Yankees’ all-time WAR rankings.

The Yankees slugger is currently in the midst of one of his best seasons, leading Major League Baseball with an impressive 8.4 WAR, pushing his career total to 49.7. This surge allowed Aaron Judge to edge past Williams in the all-time standings for the Yankees.

In terms of career WAR among Yankees position players, Aaron Judge now sits in the top ten, with seven of the nine players ahead of him already enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The only two exceptions are Willie Randolph and Alex Rodriguez.

Aaron Judge’s prowess in WAR extends beyond just this season. He has led the American League in WAR twice during his career. In his standout rookie season in 2017, he posted a remarkable 8.0 WAR. His best performance came in 2022 when he led all of MLB with an extraordinary 10.5 WAR, earning him the American League MVP award.

The player Aaron Judge surpassed, Bernie Williams, had a distinguished 16-year career with the Yankees, spanning from 1991 to 2006. Williams’ best single-season WAR was 6.4 in 1995, and he consistently delivered strong performances, with five straight seasons of at least 5.2 WAR from 1997 to 2001. He ended his Yankees tenure with a total WAR of 49.6.

Aaron Judge has passed Bernie Williams on the @baseball_ref Yankees WAR leaderboard and now ranks top 10 among NYY position players pic.twitter.com/3LXGiGh0ZY

— New York Yankees Stats (@nyyankeesstats) August 15, 2024

Aaron Judge also recently joined an exclusive club of Yankees by hitting his 300th home run, becoming just the seventh player in franchise history to reach that milestone. He also ranks among the top five in franchise history for on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS.

With his contract running through 2031, Aaron Judge has plenty of time to continue climbing the Yankees’ all-time statistical leaderboards, potentially cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players in the history of the franchise.

HoF legend Pedro predicts 600 HRs for Aaron Judge

Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez has voiced his confidence that Aaron Judge will eclipse the 600-home run milestone during his Major League Baseball career. Martinez praised the Yankees slugger’s remarkable ability to continually astonish both baseball analysts and fans since his MLB debut, noting the slugger’s knack for making necessary physical and mental adjustments while constantly expanding his knowledge of the game.

Aaron Judge recently hit his 300th career home run against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field, marking the halfway point to the coveted 600-home run mark. At 32, Judge accomplished this feat in just 955 games, breaking a longstanding record for the fewest games needed to reach 300 homers—a record previously held by Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner since 1953.

During a segment on MLB Network’s “MLB Tonight” with host Adnan Virk, Martinez, alongside former MLB player Yonder Alonso, expressed his belief in Aaron Judge’s potential. Martinez confidently predicted that the 2022 MVP would not only reach 600 home runs but likely surpass that figure.

"I'm not hesitant to say that he's going to hit the 600 [HR] mark and probably above."

– @45PedroMartinez on Aaron Judge 👀 pic.twitter.com/thXJz3r3np

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 15, 2024

Martinez reflected on Aaron Judge’s journey in the majors, acknowledging early concerns about his size, health, and a relatively late start in his career. He commended him for dispelling those doubts, highlighting his continuous improvement across various facets of the game. Martinez emphasized Aaron Judge’s improved plate discipline, skill development, and commitment to maintaining peak physical condition, especially while taking on the demanding role of a center fielder.

“Ever since this kid came up to the big leagues, he is full of surprises for all of us that supposedly know the game. This is the kid that came over at right field. [Is he] too big? Is he going to stay healthy? Late bloomer. This and that. No, he’s done all that and has shown us that he makes adjustments. Not on physically, but mentally,” he told. “He continues to learn the game and master his craft. Around the plate, he’s got more disciplined. He’s got better at everything he does, including defense and how to take care of his body, especially at centerfield.”

Now in his ninth MLB season, Aaron Judge, who made his debut in 2016 at age 24, has already climbed to seventh on the New York Yankees’ all-time home run list. Only Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, and Babe Ruth have surpassed the 400-home run mark for the franchise, setting a challenging yet attainable target for Aaron Judge’s future accomplishments.

Plenty of people talk about Judge and Soto in general, but Not Enough People Talk About the specific fact that Aaron Judge is the only player to debut in the Wild Card Era (since 1995) with a career SLG of at least .600 over a minimum of 500 games played.

It certainly helps that… pic.twitter.com/SusUGYD5U0

— Not Gaetti (@notgaetti) August 15, 2024

Aaron Judge is a strong contender for what could be his second MVP award, leading the league in numerous critical offensive categories. These include total bases, extra-base hits, walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, runs created, RBIs, and home runs. This dominance across the board underscores Judge’s immense impact and value to the Yankees this season.

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